Refrigerating device



Sept. 27, c; 5 LONG 1,880,097

REFRIGERATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 30. 1929 I NvENT R CHARLES E. LONG yY/ M, P

A TTORNEYfi play shelves arranged Patented Sept. 27,1932

UNITED s'r 'ras I C E CHARLES E. LONG, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO iPUFFER HUBBARD MFG. 00., SOTA OF MINNEAPOLIS,

MINNESOTA; A CORPORATION OF MINNE- R-EFRIGERATING DEVICE.

Application filed September 30, 1929. Serial No. 396,334.

This invention relates to improvements in refri erating and goods-display devices-and is particularly concerned with a construction for increasing the refrigerating capacity and for causing cold air to be circulated over disintermediately of the sides of a case, and adjacent a cooling unit. Objects are to maintain the refrigerating circulation at a point well below the glass sides of the case; to raise the circulation cycle with reference to display shelves and pass cold air thereover; to dispose laterally one at each 111g unit; to provide a a pair of display shelves side of the refrigeratfiue between the shelves with extensions above the refrigerating unit;

upon which extensions the shelves are mounted; to provide means whereby the top of the case, shelf extensions and shelves can be removed; to provide a relatively broad shelf and to arrange it at such height that bottles or other commodities can be stored beneath it and within the circulation zone; and generally to provide a very efiicient arrangement whereby a circulation flue is provided between a pair of spaced shelves such that the goods displayed on the shelves is always well within the refrigerating zone, and such that the shelf supports and shelves are arranged as baffles to form a down-current flue through which the warmer air approaches the refrigerating unit.

Objects, features and advantages will ap-'' pear in the description of the drawing formingia part of this application, and in said drawing i The. single figure represents a transverse sectionthrough a case, showing one embodiment of the invention.

Numeral 1 indicates the bottom of the case, numeral 2 the sides and numeral 3 generally indicates a removable top, which top is composed of sides registered with sides 2 of the lower portion of the first mentioned portion of the case. The top includes glass slide doors 5, a pair on each side slantingly arranged to permit view of the contents of the case. The roof of the case is indicated at6. The pres ent invention is not concerned with the exact cross-sectional contour of the case, but relates principally to the central shelf and circulating structures now to be described, and their relation to the walls of the case.

Tn carrying out the invention, a cooling unit 10 is located centrally of the transverse dimension of thecase as shown, and this coil is adjacent the bed so that the refrigerating cycle will take place well below the glass, to prevent frosting and refrigerating losses.- At each side ofand extending longitudinally of the refrigerating unit 10 isarranged a baffle and shelf support 11, the lower end 12 of which is spaced above, the upper surface of the bottom 1 of the case as shown. These battles are suitably held by a skeleton frame work including vertical elements 14 of strap metal having feet secured to the bottom of the case. The upper end of each element 12 has a tongue 16 adapted to receive a correspond- V 70 ing groove 17 of extensions 18 which rise above the level of the top 19 of the refrigerating unit 10. On each of the extensions 18 is mounted a shelf 20 and uponeach shelf at a point inwardlywith respect to the extension 18 is attacheda vertical extension 21. The

two extensions 21 form akind of flue permit- I arranged adjacent the bottom of the case or refrigerating being the most eflicient. By the use of this vertical type of refrigeration a smaller unit eanvbe employed-and therefore more display space canibe had fora given sizeof refrigerating chamber. An important feature is the arrangement of the shelves to form a flue and their arrangement so that they are continually within the refrigeration Zone, and so that they are readily accessible throughthe doors of the cases. Another feature is the arrangement whereby the shelves can be removed to permit ready access to the refrigeration unit 10.

The extensions 18 and shelf elements20 The walls of the refrigeration chamber may be formed and heat-insulated in any preferred manner. This particular item forms no part of the present invention.

Laterally of the central combined refrigeration and shelf unit are arranged racks each indicated by the numeral 95. These slatted elements are raised above thefloor 13 to admit of cold air circulation beneath the slatted structures and upwardly between the slats.

An important feature of the invention includes the idea of arranging shelves at opposite sides of the refrigerating unit and of having the shelf supports form baflles for baflling the air in'a manner to cause it to circulate laterally at each side of and upwardly around the bafiies and shelves and then downwardly between the shelves toward the upper part of the refrigerating unit.

Another feature of the invention is the arrangement whereby a storage space 26 is provided into which a milk bottle 27 or other commodity can be arranged beneath the shelf and within the refrigerating Zone.

It is my intention to claim any and all shelfsupporting or forming means which actto obtain and maintain a refrigerating circulation over theshelves and contents thereon. I believe myself the first to provide an arrange ment of the goods display shelves about a refrigerating unit in which the shelf supports act as battles for obtaining circulation over and'across the shelves in a manner to baffle the air andcause it to always contact and remain in contact with the goods over a substantial period of time, and, therefore, whereby the cold air is caused to contact the goods on the shelves for a greater length of time, due partly to the baffling action of the shelf supports, and partly to theuse of the vertical circulation principle obtained by vertical arrangement of the baffles and the vertical portions 21of. the shelf, or shelves.

The vertical elements 21 not only act to form a circulation passage, but act as guards to prevent small articles, on display on the shelf, from dropping onto the coil. If a grating only were used to connect the shelves, and if the elements 21 were omitted, articles would be placed on the grill, and air circulation would be obstructed.

- I claim as myinvention:

1. A. device of the class described including a refrigerating chamber, a refrigerating unit, a pair ofbaflies arranged vertically one-at each opposite side of the unit, and having their lower ends spaced from the bottom of Ward circulation of the air between said shelves and toward said refrigerating unit.

2. 1A device of the class described including a refrigerating chamber, a refrigerating unit, a pair of battles arranged vertically one at each opposite side of the'unit, and having their lower ends spaced from the bottom of the chamber, said baffles extending above said refrigerating unit, and each having a shelf,

having a vertically disposed element at its back, said elements being arranged to per- I mit circulation of air from above the shelves, downwardly between the shelves toward the refrigerating unit. Y

8. A device of the class described compris ing a refrigerating chamber, a refrigerating unit arranged centrally of the chamber, vertical baffles arranged at each side of said unit, each having its bottomarranged above the level of the bottom of the chamber to provide a circulation space, and the bottom of each being arranged below the level of the bottom of the refrigerating unit and each ba-fiie extending above the top of said refrigerating unit, each bafile having a horizontal shelf arranged over said refrigerating unit, and (211- v tending laterally therebeyond to form a stor-. age space, each shelf having an upward ex.- tension, the upward extensions together forming a flue permitting flow of air from above-downwardly between the shelves and toward the topof the unit.

4. A device of the class described including a refrigerating chamber, a refrigerating unit arranged within the chamber, vertically arranged partitions one. at each' opposite side of said refrigerating unit and extending above and below the same, but spaced above the floor of the chamber, shelves supported upon said ballles'in a manner to form a flue leading downwardly toward the refrigerating unit, said baflles being sectional and arranged so that a portion of the baffle and the shelves can be removed to permit access to said refrigerating unit.

' 5. A. device of the class described including a chamber having glass sides, a refrigerating unit within the chamber, baflies ar-: ranged adjacent the refrigerating unit and spaced from the side walls of the chamber to provide a passage adapted to direct circulation of air downwardly toward themiddle of the unit, then in opposite directions to the sides of the unit, then downwardly then outwardly beneath the baffles and upwardly, and display shelves arranged immediately adjacent the baliles to form nitches beneath the shelves in which goods may be received and be visible, throughthe glass sides of the case, and be easily accessible, and yet be within the circulation zone formed by the baffles.

6. A device of the class described including a refrigeration chamber and a refrigerating unit of the plate coil type therein, and means associated with the unit in a manner to direct air circulation downwardly toward the middle of the tops of the plates and thence diagonally downwardly and outwardly in opposite directions across the faces of the plates toward the floor of the chamber.

7. A device of the class described including a refrigeration chamber, and a refrigerating unit of the plate coil type therein, baflies one at each side of the unit arranged there-adjacent and lengthwise thereof and having their lower edges spaced from the floor of the chamber, and having means arranged above the unit to direct warmer air circulation downwardly toward the middle of the tops of the plates, so that the air will thereafter travel diagonally downardly and outwardly across the faces of the plates in opposite directions and beneath the baffles.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of September 1929.

CHARLES E. LONG. 

